Who is the favourite in this year’s Premier League Darts?

Darts fanatics have been waiting for their weekly fix, and they finally have it in the form of the 19th edition of Premier League Darts, with eight of the best players in the world battling it out for the £275,000 prize.

The competition started on February 2nd at The SSE Arena, Belfast, and already there’s plenty to talk about. Two rounds of Premier League action have produced four different finalists so expect another wide-open and keenly-contested night at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. Chris Dobey has taken an early lead in the standings with one night win and three game wins under his belt after the opening two nights. The chasing pack comprises Gerwyn Price, Michael Van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall who are hot on his coattails each with five points. Peter Wright has had a rough start to the tournament without a single win to his name thus far, but will a return to home soil ignite his Premier League campaign? Here’s everything you need to know about Premier League Darts ahead of week three in Glasgow.

Before a dart was thrown reigning champion Michael Van Gerwen was the frontrunner to claim the Premier League crown once again and after the first two nights, it’s hard to see past MVG. Those wanting to bet on the darts Premier League should be using apps for betting in the uk when they do. The legendary Dutchman is chasing a record-breaking seventh Premier League title and looks well situated to do so even after failing to claim victory in Belfast and Cardiff. The Dutchman is arguably the most talented man on the card, averaging 110.75 in defeat last week against Gerwyn Price in the semi-finals. Van Gerwen's average of 102.36 across his five matches so far is considerably higher than anyone else, a warning to the field that he has brought his form from the PDC World Championship to this competition. He will want to maintain that momentum but will have his hands full with Nathan Aspinall at the Hydro. The 2020 runner-up finds himself a dark horse in this contest thanks to success in recent months including televised performances at the World Grand Prix and the Grand Slam of Darts. Aspinall, who is yet to lose a quarter-final, was on fire in Cardiff when averaging 105 against both Peter Wright and Michael Smith only to run out of steam against Price; the world number 10 looks up to the task to stake his claim to the title.

The Iceman, Gerwyn Price, came into Premier League Darts this year in some turbulent form. Following his recent first-round losses at both the Masters and the PDC World Championship, triumph here seemed to be too tall of an order, but his victory on home soil in Cardiff on night two has put him back on track to challenge for the title. After coming through a deciding leg with Chris Dobey, he managed to take Michael van Gerwen to the wire in the semi-finals despite averaging almost 14 points less than the Dutchman's incredible 110.75 before the home fans whistles came to his rescue. The final against Nathan Aspinall was much more routine, winning 6-3, but his overall performances won’t exactly strike any fear into his opponent in Glasgow. World champion Michael Smith is the man that stands in his way in Glasgow and the World number one  has enjoyed plenty of success as of late. Bully Boy got his first points of the season by defeating Jonny Clayton 6-3 with an average of 100 but was outfought by Nathan Aspinall in the semi-finals. Although he's averaged over 100 twice in his three games so far, he's bizarrely struggling to find his maximum range, with just four hit so far at a meagre 0.14 per leg. He will have to improve if he is to lift the Premier League Darts trophy in May.

World number two, Peter Wright, looked good value this year to better his 2017 runner-up performance and secure his first Premier League title, as he makes his tenth consecutive Premier League appearance. However, it has not been smooth sailing thus far. The Scot has failed to register a single point in the tournament following a disappointing PDC World Championship. The two-time world champion did manage to reach the semi-finals of the Masters and looked in good form and darts fans will be aware of the threat that Wright poses once he gets up to speed. He can’t be counted out just yet. The man he’ll have to overcome in his own backyard is Dimitri Van den Bergh. The Belgian has made progress in the last few months, making it all the way to the World Championship semi-finals just falling short against a game Michael Van Gerwen. He also secured two World Series titles and if he could replicate that form in this tournament he’ll cause plenty of problems for the field. However, his  usual scoring power has been lacking somewhat. He currently sits mid-table on two points but faces Wright who has only beaten three times in 16 matches. He’ll need a win on the stage in Glasgow to remain in contention.

Chris Dobey is certainly making the most of his Premier League Darts debut, racing to the top of the table after a stunning victory over reigning champion Van Gerwen in Belfast on night one of the tournament. Newly-crowned Masters champion Dobey stunned the field with a hat-trick of victories to cap off a life-changing seven days for the 32-year-old. Even after losing the opening game to Price on night two, the sensational 160 checkout to secure victory in Belfast is proof he has taken to Premier League Darts like a duck to water. He’ll be looking to emulate the success of his counterpart in Glasgow, Jonny Clayton. Clayton won the Premier League on his debut but is yet to replicate the form that saw him claim that accolade. will be frustrated about his start to the season from a results perspective but his performance levels in 2023 overall suggest a change in fortune is just around the corner. Apart from last week's 89.37 during a 6-3 defeat to Michael Smith, he's been averaging in the high 90s on stage so far while he produced some similarly strong displays on the Pro Tour. The Welshman is not considered one of the favourites for the competition this year but he certainly has it in his locker to rattle a few cages. The landscape is starting to take shape but there’s still a long way to go before we get to the O2 on May 25.